[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 203 (Wednesday, December 2, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H6028-H6031]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
UNITED STATES GRAIN STANDARDS REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2020
Mr. PETERSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (S. 4054) to reauthorize the United States Grain Standards Act,
and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 4054
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``United States Grain
Standards Reauthorization Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. NOTIFICATION OF DISCONTINUANCE OF SERVICES BY STATE
AGENCIES.
Section 7 of the United States Grain Standards Act (7
U.S.C. 79) is amended--
(1) in subsection (e)(2)(C)(i), by inserting ``and affected
customers or applicants for service of official inspection or
weighing services provided by the State agency'' after
``notify the Secretary''; and
(2) in subsection (j)(5), in the first sentence, by
striking ``2020'' and inserting ``2025''.
SEC. 3. WEIGHING AUTHORITY.
Section 7A(l)(4) of the United States Grain Standards Act
(7 U.S.C. 79a(l)(4)) is amended in the first sentence by
striking ``2020'' and inserting ``2025''.
SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY COSTS.
Section 7D of the United States Grain Standards Act (7
U.S.C. 79d) is amended by striking ``2020'' and inserting
``2025''.
SEC. 5. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
Section 17B of the United States Grain Standards Act (7
U.S.C. 87f-2) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Enhancement of Current Reporting.--
``(1) Increased frequency of inspection program data
reporting.--
``(A) In general.--Beginning not later than 1 year after
the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall
publish quarterly reports describing data from the tests and
inspections for intrinsic quality factors (including protein,
oil, and starch) and food safety factors, as reported, in the
aggregate, for fiscal years 2014 through 2018 in the tables
in section V (relating to providing official grain inspection
and weighing services) of the 2016 through 2018 annual
reports to Congress by the Federal Grain Inspection Service.
``(B) Delineation.--The data from the tests and inspections
under subparagraph (A) shall be delineated to reflect whether
the tests and inspections were requested of or performed by--
``(i) the Secretary; or
``(ii) a State agency delegated authority under section 7
or 7A or an official agency.
``(2) Exceptions and waivers.--Beginning not later than 1
year after the date of enactment of this subsection, the
Secretary shall publish quarterly reports describing--
[[Page H6029]]
``(A) the number of exceptions requested under section
7(f)(2)(B);
``(B) the number of exceptions granted under section
7(f)(2)(B);
``(C) the number of waivers requested under section
5(a)(1); and
``(D) the number of waivers granted under section 5(a)(1).
``(e) Additional Reporting; Consultation.--The Secretary
may, to the extent determined appropriate by the Secretary,
in consultation with State agencies delegated authority under
sections 7 and 7A, official agencies, and the grain
industries described in the second sentence of section 21(a),
publish--
``(1) data relating to testing for other intrinsic quality
or food safety factors; and
``(2) other data collected from inspection and weighing
activities conducted under this Act.
``(f) Protection of Confidential Business Information.--Any
trade secrets or information described in section 552(b)(4)
of title 5, United States Code, that is provided to or
collected by the Secretary in carrying out subsection (d) or
(e) shall not be included in a report under subsection (d) or
(e) or otherwise publicly disclosed.''.
SEC. 6. APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 19 of the United States Grain Standards Act (7
U.S.C. 87h) is amended--
(1) by striking the section heading and designation and all
that follows through ``There are hereby'' and inserting the
following:
``SEC. 19. FUNDING.
``(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are'';
(2) in subsection (a) (as so designated)--
(A) by striking ``such sums as are necessary'' and
inserting ``$23,000,000''; and
(B) by striking ``1988 through 2020'' and inserting ``2021
through 2025''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(b) Limitations on Uses of User Fees.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Official inspection or weighing service.--The term
`official inspection or weighing service' means official
inspection, official weighing, supervision of weighing,
supervision of agency personnel, supervision of the field
office personnel of the Secretary, testing of equipment or
instruments, other services, or registration, the cost to the
Secretary of which is authorized to be covered by the
collection of a user fee pursuant to section 7, 7A, 7B, 16,
or 17A, as applicable.
``(B) User fee.--The term `user fee' means a fee collected
by the Secretary under section 7, 7A, 7B, 16, or 17A.
``(2) Requirement.--A user fee--
``(A) shall be used solely to cover--
``(i) the cost to the Secretary for carrying out official
inspection or weighing services; and
``(ii) administrative costs to the Secretary directly
relating to official inspection or weighing services; and
``(B) shall not be used for--
``(i) activities relating to the development or maintenance
of grain standards; or
``(ii) any other activity that is not directly related to
the performance of official inspection or weighing
services.''.
SEC. 7. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
Section 21 of the United States Grain Standards Act (7
U.S.C. 87j) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), in the last sentence, by striking
``successive terms'' and inserting ``successively for more
than 2 terms''; and
(2) in subsection (e), by striking ``2020'' and inserting
``2025''.
SEC. 8. REVIEW OF GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES FOR OFFICIAL
AGENCIES.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Grain handling facility.--The term ``grain handling
facility'' means a grain elevator, warehouse, or other
storage or handling facility.
(2) Official agency geographic area.--The term ``official
agency geographic area'' means a geographic area for an
official agency, as defined by the Secretary under section
7(f)(2)(A) or 7A(i)(2)(A) of the United States Grain
Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 79(f)(2)(A), 79a(i)(2)(A)).
(3) United states grain standards act terms.--The terms
``grain'', ``official agency'', ``official inspection'',
``officially inspected'', ``official weighing'',
``supervision of weighing'', and ``Secretary'' have the
meanings given the terms in section 3 of the United States
Grain Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 75).
(b) Review.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a
comprehensive nationwide review of the official agency
geographic areas.
(2) Considerations.--In conducting the review under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall take into consideration--
(A) the number of grain handling facilities, both within
the official agency geographic areas and in areas that are
not official agency geographic areas, that currently use, or,
during the 5-year period preceding the date of submission of
the report under subsection (c), received service from, an
official agency that provides official inspection, official
weighing, supervision of weighing, or other services under
the United States Grain Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 71 et seq.);
(B) the volume of grain for which official agencies provide
services at grain handling facilities within the official
agency geographic areas;
(C) the number of official inspections of vessels and other
carriers within the official agency geographic areas;
(D) other related services performed by official agencies
at grain handling facilities within the official agency
geographic areas;
(E) the timeliness, accuracy, and appropriateness of
services performed by official agencies at grain handling
facilities within the official agency geographic areas;
(F) fees charged by official agencies for services
performed under the United States Grain Standards Act (7
U.S.C. 71 et seq.), including grading, weighing, sampling,
stowage examination, and certification; and
(G) any implications of modifications to the official
agency geographic areas on enhancing official inspection,
official weighing, and supervision of weighing in the
domestic market.
(c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the
Senate a report containing--
(1) the results of the review completed under subsection
(b); and
(2) any recommendations with respect to those results that
the Secretary determines appropriate.
SEC. 9. TECHNICAL CORRECTION.
Section 4(a)(1) of the United States Grain Standards Act (7
U.S.C. 76(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``soybeans mixed''
and inserting ``soybeans, mixed''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Peterson) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.
General Leave
Mr. PETERSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Minnesota?
There was no objection.
Mr. PETERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 4054, the U.S. Grain Standards
Reauthorization Act of 2020.
I want to thank Ranking Member Conaway, General Farm Commodities and
Risk Management Subcommittee Chairman Vela, and Ranking Member Thompson
for their bipartisan support for passage of S. 4054, the United States
Grain Standards Reauthorization Act of 2020.
The inspections provided by the Federal Grain Inspection Service
define and classify grains, as well as assign grades to specify weight
and quality requirements, and these inspections provide a gold-standard
assurance backed by the Federal Government to both grain buyers and
sellers.
American grain farmers participate in a very competitive world, and
foreign grain buyers should be confident in this process that we have
put forward and have in place to ensure our exports are adequately
inspected.
As we move ahead with reauthorization, I hope that we can take stock
in how well the current system of export inspections by the Federal and
State agencies is working, and continue to work on a bipartisan basis,
and to provide necessary certainty and stability for producers and our
Federal grain inspection system.
I would also like to note the need for a dedicated and strong
workforce at our ports to ensure that American grain can be expertly
and efficiently loaded into ships for export. I would encourage those
companies that have not already reached an agreement with their
workforce to continue to seek an agreement. I applaud the American-
owned companies that have already committed to their workers.
So I encourage my colleagues to support the U.S. Grain Standards
Reauthorization Act of 2020. American grain farmers participate in a
fiercely competitive world market, and we need to ensure that our
inspection system allows importers to maintain their confidence in the
quality of U.S. grain.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I too rise in support of the United States Grain
Standards Reauthorization Act of 2020, S. 4054.
For over 100 years, this law has provided the foundation for the
grain and oilseed marketplace to establish consistent value and price
discovery, and it is relied upon, not only by domestic shippers and
exporters, but by the entirety of the U.S. agriculture sector.
[[Page H6030]]
This legislation contains several wins for agriculture stakeholders.
It promotes marketplace stability by requiring delegated States to
notify users of official inspection or weighing services of any intent
to discontinue service, in addition to notifying the Secretary of
Agriculture.
It ensures that the user fees paid by the grain handlers are used
solely for official services and not other government functions.
And perhaps most important, this legislation ensures continuity in
the official grain inspection and weighing services, providing much-
needed stability to the grain and oilseed trade and all who rely upon
them.
I want to thank Chairman Pat Roberts for his work in the Senate to
make sure that we renew the Grain Standards Act this year.
I also want to thank the chairman of the Agriculture Committee and
his team for getting this to the floor as expeditiously as possible
after passage by the Senate.
Mr. Speaker, I support passage of S. 4054. I encourage my colleagues
to vote ``yes'' as well, and I too reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PETERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. David Scott), and I want to congratulate him on his
outstanding support from the steering committee to be the next chairman
of the Agriculture Committee.
Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very,
very much for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I have served in this body for 18 years, and throughout
those 18 years, I have had a man that I am convinced was sent by God
enter my life at a critical time, and that man is the chairman of the
Agriculture Committee, Collin Peterson.
I am here to certainly ask everybody to make sure you vote
unanimously on the bill.
But I am here to express a great friendship, a heartfelt gratitude.
And I say, as so many of my colleagues, you cannot have gone through
this tremendous challenge of being an elected official without God
having sent people your way to help you, to guide you. Such a man is
Collin Peterson and let me tell you why.
When I came to Congress 18 years ago, I was assigned to the
Agriculture Committee, and I was the only African American on that
committee for several years. Sometimes, when you are going into the
crevices and the corners of life where you have not been before, God
sends somebody along to give you a helping hand. Such a man in my life
is Collin Peterson.
Not only that; he took me under his wing and guided me. Not just on
one committee did he have me chair, several, starting with livestock,
moving on to credit, energy, the commodities, and now the financial
exchanges; daring to move me into areas where I did not know that he
had faith in me. And so I wanted to take this moment to say thank you.
Now, as you mentioned, Mr. Chairman, thanks to your good right hand,
you have opened a way that I might become the next chairman of the
House Agriculture Committee. No man, nothing, has helped me more to be
in this position than my friendship with this great man, Collin
Peterson.
Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Hagedorn), my colleague and fellow Agriculture Committee
member.
Mr. HAGEDORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank ranking Republican Conaway for
yielding the time. I appreciate all that he has done for our committee
over the years serving as chairman and everything else.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Peterson for his service on behalf of
our farmers and agribusinesses. I appreciate him as well.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the U.S. Grain Standards
Reauthorization Act of 2020.
The U.S. Grain Standards Act of 1916 established USDA's Federal Grain
Inspection Service and has benefited all of agriculture, right down the
chain, for more than a century.
This reauthorization today will provide 5 years of certainty, avoid
potential disruptions to the grain inspection and weighing system, and
make modest but important changes to the program overall.
The folks at the Minnesota Grain & Feed Association and many others
in agriculture are behind this legislation. And let's not forget that
the bill additionally requires USDA to conduct comprehensive,
nationwide review of the agency geographic areas to report its findings
and recommendations and report back to Congress in 18 months.
I will vote ``yes'' today. I encourage all of my colleagues on both
sides of the aisle to vote ``yes.''
Mr. PETERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Minnesota (Ms. Craig), one of our new and rising upcoming members of
the Agriculture Committee.
Ms. CRAIG. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding; and I
thank the chairman for his 30 years of service to the State of
Minnesota and to our family farmers across this Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 4054, the U.S. Grain
Standards Reauthorization Act of 2020.
As our family farmers face the growing impacts of COVID-19 and
continued trade instability, we must maintain the integrity of our
domestic grain market and inspection system.
This bipartisan legislation passed the Senate unanimously, to
reauthorize the Federal Grain Inspection Service at the U.S. Department
of Agriculture. I applaud Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat
Roberts and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow on their bipartisan efforts
to get this across the finish line. This reauthorization provides
necessary certainty for buyers and sellers throughout the grain supply
chain.
Food and agriculture products have long remained the largest category
of exports for Minnesota. The Federal Grain Inspection Service provides
a reliable, competitive, and cost-effective official grain inspection
and weighing system to facilitate the marketing of U.S. grains and
oilseeds in export and domestic markets.
Just last year, Minnesota produced over $7.5 billion worth of corn,
wheat, and soybeans. The employees of companies in my district, like
CHS, Cargill, and ADM, keep our grain markets moving along the
Mississippi River and off to destinations across the globe.
While this year has certainly presented its challenges, reauthorizing
grain standards provides a glimmer of stability for our producers as
they continue to secure additional support in export markets. This
legislation shores up the infrastructure that will make sure those
exports continue into 2021.
I look forward to the passage of this bill for the family farmers of
my district and Minnesota's agriculture economy.
Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Kansas (Mr. Marshall), our soon-to-be former colleague, soon-to-be
junior Senator from Kansas.
Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
American-grown grain is known around the world as the safest, most
reliable, and the highest-quality product in the world. This reputation
remains unchanged and unchallenged, thanks in part to the USDA's
Federal Grain Inspection Service authorized by the U.S. Grain Standards
Act.
The Kansas economy is dependent upon continued strong agriculture
exports and the certainty that comes with strict grain quality and
inspection standards.
Kansas exported almost $4 billion in farm goods to over 96 different
countries this past year, and Kansas remains the seventh largest State
for agriculture exports.
{time} 1615
Strong demand for Kansas grain and feed products ensures a strong
Kansas economy.
Through rigorous standards set by our Federal inspection system,
grain and feed products grown by Kansas farm families are eagerly
accepted around the globe. It is because of this predictability,
transparency, and certainty of our Nation's grain inspection system
that the world continues to look to the U.S. for agricultural and food
products.
These high standards are yet another reason the USTR has been so
successful--in fact, renegotiating successfully over 50 percent of our
ag export markets over the past 4 years.
I applaud the passage of the U.S. Grain Standards Act and will remain
[[Page H6031]]
dedicated to removing barriers and leveling the playing field for
agriculture exports. As part of these efforts, it is essential that the
U.S. maintains its reputation and its credibility for safe, high-
quality crops and food products.
Through reauthorization of this bipartisan legislation, Congress is
ensuring the continuation of the USDA's grain inspection services and
supporting farmers and ranchers across the country.
Finally, I want to salute and say thanks to two of my great friends
who are mentors and leaders in the ag world. Our current chairman of
the Agriculture Committee, Collin Peterson, I thank the gentleman for
his great leadership and for his friendship. Of course, I salute our
current ranking member and our past committee chairman as well, Mike
Conaway. The chairman has done a great job as well. It has been an
honor to work with the gentleman. I wish both gentlemen Godspeed and
health to all their families.
Mr. PETERSON. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
South Dakota (Mr. Johnson), who is my colleague and a fellow member on
the Agriculture Committee.
Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member
Conaway. The gentleman has been a champion. I thank Chairman Peterson.
The gentleman has been a champion.
We are here on the floor this afternoon debating the United States
Grain Standards Reauthorization Act, and I rise in support of that act.
Agriculture is a business where almost nothing is certain. From poor
weather to trade disruptions to transport delays, these all create an
incredible environment of unpredictability. In that environment of
unpredictability, producers should not have to face unpredictability in
agricultural policy. That means that when Congress can come together in
a bipartisan way and offer a bit of certainty, we absolutely should do
so.
That brings us to the Grain Standards Reauthorization Act. I am glad
that we are passing a 5-year reauthorization so that the user-funded
USGSA will allow buyers and sellers to quickly and effectively
determine those quality specs that are outlined in contracts.
In this world of uncertainty, Mr. Speaker, I am glad and I am proud
that we are going to send this to the President's desk, and, of course,
I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. PETERSON. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield
myself the remainder of my time.
Mr. Speaker, before I close, I would like to make a couple of
comments about my colleague from Minnesota. Collin Peterson has served
this House and the constituents of Minnesota's Seventh District, but,
more importantly, rural America and production agriculture for 30
years.
My first memory of Chairman Peterson came in the 2008 farm bill
reauthorization markup. That was my very first one. I was a rookie, and
that was his 15th or 16th farm bill to chair. He was stunningly patient
with me during that entire process and had a big influence on me.
I don't think there has been anyone more dedicated and more steadfast
as a supporter for rural America and production agriculture than
Chairman Peterson. He has seen good times and bad times, unfortunately,
probably more bad times during that 30 years than good times. He has
been a champion for both rural America and production agriculture
throughout that timeframe. Rural America and production agriculture are
both better off for his long service to this House and to the
constituents of Minnesota's Seventh District.
Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of S. 4054, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
Mr. PETERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
I thank the gentleman for his kind words and for his willingness to
work with us over these last number of years.
With this bill, we got just about all of our work done. We have the
CFTC reauthorization we didn't get done, but everything else is off the
plate. So that is good.
We made good progress. We will, both of us, ride off into the sunset,
I think, feeling that we have done a decent job.
So, again, I thank Mr. Conaway and all members of the committee for
the work that they do and wish them well in the next Congress.
Mr. Speaker, I ask everybody to unanimously support S. 4054, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Peterson) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, S. 4054.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________